Remnant Chronicles: Obliquity
by tagosan
Summary: Following the fall of Vale, the last sight the world saw was of Atlas drones slaughtering civilians. Sanctions on trade and travel have been cast onto the military kingdom. It lies isolated in the North. There conspiracy forms into tragedy. A new team must form against the dark forces that conspire amidst the chaos. (Original Content)
1. Chapter 1 - Arrivals

**NOTES: I heavily edited most of the first part of Oblique Chronicles. I even changed the title. I didn't like a lot about the original draft so I made heavy changes that I hope translate to a more cohesive story. Hope ya'll like this one! Thank you for clicking and deciding to give it a read! Many thanks again!**

* * *

A blizzard howled and battered the barren valley. A solitary station stood alone in the landscape. Though the biting frost of the blizzard could not be felt inside, the effects of cold isolation was evident in its men. Sullen soldiers were littered across the halls and the smell of alcohol was ripe on almost every person. Being posted here was not exactly a privilege.

"Sigh. Here I am." The man's sharp canine ears twitched ever so slightly as he spoke. A checkered scarf was draped around his neck as he wore a loose trench coat that seemed just a little too loose for his frame. His voice echoed slightly in the wide hangar.

Several soldiers and men hauling cargo were pouring from the ship. Descending from it, the man slowly walked towards a woman in a maroon beret on top of light blue hair and red goggles seated on a proud face with a wry smile. Beyond that there was little else that decorated her Atlesian uniform.

"Welcome, old man." She said with a playful chuckle

"I'm 23, man. And we're the same age" He said as he shrugged.

The woman rolls her eyes. "So you've been stationed here too, eh?"

"Uhuh, and you're in charge of the garrison here?"

"I've been in charge for the past two uneventful weeks and three days."

"Bored?"

"We've got cadets here for practical training and soldiers who can't hold their liquor and, well, nothing else. A familiar face is always nice though."

"My face is quite the sight." The man forms an L-shape with his thumb and finger and puts it below his chin.

"Yes, a sight only a mother could love." The woman raises an eyebrow.

"You haven't changed at all, Zuria."

"Neither have you, Hektor. Oh, I mean 'Specialist' Osiris."

They look at each other with mutual smiles on their faces. One can see the fondness and history between them from a mile away.

* * *

"Uuuuuuugh..." grunted the lissome Amazonian sized woman grunted. Her height only emphasized by the slender, oddly well-groomed, horn on top of her head that flowed with her slicked back red hair. Her grey, fibrous suit glided along her frame with dark gauntlets and greaves marking her extremities. Most noticeably, a single cape was draped across her left shoulder.

"Aaaaargh," she said with a very guttural "g" as she leaned back on her chair in a loose motion. Her arms hung loosely behind her.

"Three weeks and four days since we started the mission, Qrane," said her companion with short silvery-blonde hair. Her light kimono jacket gently flowing in the breeze revealing the white segmented cuirass beneath. She sat with a straight back and her legs crossed primly and properly.

"Wonderful. We've already scoured almost all of Vacuo and now we're in the freezing countryside of Atlas." She lets out a puff of exasperated air from her dark cheeks.

"Vacuo was...an interesting place. Plus, we'll be reaching our destination soon. That big, black, hulking thing over yonder," said the one optimistic girl while her fluffed, rounded ears flopped and swayed with the ups and downs of the moving vehicle. Her deep, amber hair folds into locks that lovingly framed her bright blue eyes. She's standing and leaning forward with her hands on the top of the chair of the woman in white. She endearingly rests her chin on top of the woman's head.

"Hlin, do we have our way to the main ship?" asked the lady in white.

"I already left a bread trail! Should be a piece of cake finding our way back!" Briefly, a line of light flashes behind her heels and extends to the outside of the vehicle. A light flows into the air from behind the ship.

"Lovely," said Qrane. "Think it'll be easy leaving Atlas considering..."

"We retain the permits from Atlas and show our documents indicating our graduation from Haven and our residency in Mistral. If the border authorities want to interrogate us further then we let them; regardless, we have all the proof we need," The woman in white spoke firmly

"Any idea how we'll get paid though?" Qrane's words blur the line between curiosity and worry.

"We'll find a way. We won't be leaving Atlas without our bounty anyway."

"Good call."

"Vote of confidence for Lucia too!" Hlin never hesitated when it came to optimism.

The pervasive smell of fear and anger had driven the Grimm to greater cities of Atlas and Mantle. Only the massive cubes broke the monotony of the blue canopy. The black structures themselves bore enough lights to stand out in the howling storm, though alone they stood in they're vastness.

Four Atlesian airships formed a small checkpoint. The small airship of the three women approached the checkpoint. "We're here," said Lucia.


	2. Chapter 2 - Introductions

"Are those doors opening again?" Said Hektor.

"The biting air of the cold blizzard was let into the hangar as a small, light craft landed close to Hektor's ship. The hangar doors closed as three women stepped out of the craft.

"Don't recall anyone telling me that any huntsmen would be coming in today, though news travels slowly ever since..." said Zuria.

"Vale?" said Hektor.

"Well the guards at the checkpoint let them through so my guess is they're legit." Zuria props one hand on Hektor's shoulder. "Time to be the welcoming committee."

A tall woman holding a large scroll takes note of Hektor and Zuria's approach. "You guys in charge here?"

Zuria tilts her head and looks up at the woman. "Kinda. Yeah. You three are?"

"I'm Qrane Solo. These two are Lucia Santis and Hlin Lee. We're on huntsman business. Our Atlas permit for operations here."

"Hm. Everything looks in order."

Hektor straightens his posture and remembers to introduce himself. "Oh, I'm Hektor Osiris, and right here is Major Zuria Marón."

"Pleasure to meet you." Lucia rests her arm across her torso and bowed ever so slightly.

"Howdy!" Hlin waves enthusiastically.

"Well whatever business you have here we'd be happy to help. Let's hear the details at my office." Zuria motioned them with a jerk of her head towards a door.

* * *

The walk to her office was rather quiet. Their faces expressed the toll of travel hours. Yet Hlin had decided to break the ice, "So whatcha' guys doin' out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Research. I can't say I get what exactly they're researching about, but as far as I know the research is into the application of dust for settlement expansion." Zuria responded

"Ooh. Sounds fancy."

Lucia wore a mild, curious look. "So Atlas plans to expand?"

"Contrary to fear mongering and rumors we only plan to expand in Solitas." Zuria's lips momentarily curl upwards and then she forms a wry smile. "Sigh. Sorry. Dark sense of humor."

"It's quite all right."

"Where you stationed here already when it happened?" Qrane interjects.

"No, I was on leave with my family in Mantle. While ol' Hektor just graduated from Atlas Academy."

"I was packing things up in my dorm while I watched the Vytal festival. It was...uncomfortable to watch it all."

"Moving on! Here we are."

Zuria's office was simple, standard, yet comforting. It was warm for starters and nothing wore out the eyes. File cabinets on the right, a water dispenser on the left. A desk in the center and a comfy couch for visitors.

"Take a seat. Now what can we do to help you?"

"Reginald Brown." Qrane states sharply.

"Ha! This is the last place I expected huntsmen to go looking for him. It's been an uneventful two weeks."

"Except for that accidental security lockdown, right?"

"How'd you...?"

"Persistence and persuasion!" blurted Hlin with a smile

Lucia speaks with a blank expression, "if you track the trail of facilities with security errors you begin to notice a geographic pattern that leads to here. This should be his first target in Atlas."

"How would you know that those errors are linked to Brown? If they are linked to him though won't that mean that each hit was an inside job?" Hektor speaks

"We've been trailing him for months now and we've nailed his modus already. Force a security incident or error and, in the ensuing confusion, make off with stolen whatevers from different facilities. The guy isn't very good at hiding his tracks."

"But he is pretty fast and we still don't know how he's able to force personnel to commit those errors." Hlin says so with closed eyes and a smile.

Lucia exhales through her nose and calmly states: "We've run background checks and interrogations on each of those linked to the incidents, but we came up with nothing except a trail of people with nausea and headaches."

"Poisoning?" Hektor curiously replies.

"Maybe. The toxicology tests we ran came up blank, so we'll only know for certain once we capture Brown," said Lucia.

"What makes you think you've finally caught up to him?" Zuria interjects

"Well he usually hits a new facility every few days but it's been over a week since the last incident. So we're betting on two things; either whatever he wants is still here in this facility or the blizzard isn't exactly helping with his escape."

"The asshole is trapped!" Hlin says with a very pleasant smile.

"Noted." Zuria pulls her goggles to her forehead and quickly bites her lip, "Sure'll be a pleasure bagging this crook."

"Likewise." Hlin's cheer is unyielding.


	3. Chapter 3 - Here It Comes

"Likewise"

The words repeat with the added touch of hoarse static. One man adjusts his earpiece as he monitors the scene through his scroll. He fixes his glasses and sighs slightly. He thinks of how this complicates things.

* * *

Several computer screens line the wall in front of Qrane and Zuria. Men sitting down monitor each screen closely.

"Everyone in position?" Zuria, next to Qrane talks to her scroll addressing everyone. "Men are in place and nothing fishy has popped up yet so we just 'gotta wait for-"

The the lights go down and the screens go blank. A figure moves swiftly through the dark, his pace outstanding.

"There it is!" Qrane says.

"Yay! Bread trail's up. Showtime~" Hlin opens the door and in front of her a trail of light races forward. Reginal Brown is oblivious to this fiery line of light following his past steps. Hlin runs at a similar pace and she whistles a cheery tune.

"Qrane, what's the status?" says Lucia.

"We were able to shut down all of the exits in the facility, unfortunately the cameras and remote security systems are offline. The Major with you yet?"

"Not yet but we should meet at the hangar shortly."

"Copy that! I'll catch up with Hlin. See you soon."

As Zuria runs she casually speaks, "Yo, Specialist! How are things on your end?"

"No one seems to have exited the facility yet. It's also freezing out here. Hit me up when you guys are done all right?"

"BOOM, Bitch!" Hlin's voice erupts in their earpieces. They hear roaring explosions in the background.

"Looks like Hlin's caught up to Brown," said Zuria.

Qrane's eyes glow in the same blue as Hlin's. "That's for sure, I can see things on her end. They seem to be heading towards the hangar?" The eyes then revert to their natural black.

"I'm almost at the hangar. I should be seeing you there as well, Major?" said Lucia.

"You betcha."

Lucia runs into the hangar and she spots Zuria shortly behind her.

"Right. So Brown and Hlin should be here soon. My men should be on their way too"

Just as she finishes, a body flies through the control room, shattering the glass above. Zuria smiles, "Right on schedule." The body lands and they both recognize the beaten, unconscious man as Reginald Brown. His clothes are singed and tattered.

Lucia bends down to examine the body. "He's breathing, but his aura is depleted and I'm pretty sure he's got a few broken bones."

Zuria stretches in relief. "Well that was fast. Let's bag him up and-"

"Wait. His ankles are cut. The tendons have been severed. Hlin uses a hammer not a sword. Qrane, are you there?" There is no response. "Hektor?" Static floods their earpieces.

"Can't get a hold of them either. Our 'comms are down. Something's not right."

"Do you hear that?" Lucia's focus shifts to what's above her. Hlin stands at the edge of the room where Brown had fallen from. She jumps through the gaping hole in the glass. A massive black hammer is visible on her person. It shifts into a cannon and roars as Hlin launches fireball after fireball at some unseen enemy.

"Hlin!" Lucia and Zuria ready their weapons. Hlin lands a few feet in front of them.

"Son of a bitch!" She falls to one knee with her hammer acting as support. Lucia rushes to her aid.

"What happened? Who else is here?" Before Hlin can speak, Lucia touches her shoulder. "Your aura's almost gone. Here. Just wait." A pale green light emanates from Lucia's hands and Hlin immediately relaxes and is relieved.

"Thank you for the aura boost, Lucia. I'm beat. Be careful. Bastard's already here I think." Hlin stretches out her weary hand and her bread trail lights up visible to all. A trail of broken lines of light lay littered across the air.

"How..? Did...? Where is he?" Zuria was told that Hlin's bread trail never stopped tracking a target. Come Grimm or high water the trail of light should never stop, but her train of thought is cut short. By the corner of her eye, a trail of fiery light speeds towards her.


	4. Chapter 4 - And There They Go

The sound of metal clashing rings through the air. A side door flies open in the hangar and Hektor comes through firing bursts from his automatic rifle. A masked man backs away from Zuria to avoid the bullets. Hektor moves in next to Zuria; Lucia, her hands still on Hlin's shoulder.

The man standing before them is covered by a shredded grey cloak. His dark clothes visible beneath it. A mask of a grotesque copper skull has completely enshrouded this man's head. The skull mask bears metal roots that sink into his neck, they bulge and swell with his every breath. The eyes of the skull are black and deep. How this man sees is unclear.

The stillness ceases as the man paces to the side then back. His sword is at the ready on his left. The straight, wide blade bore the unusual mark of a silver hamon on its two edges, but that and the copper of the fuller were both tarnished by fresh blood.

Hektor keeps his rifle pointed at the assailant. "Stand down! We have you surrounded. Drop your weapon and put your hands above your head." He briefly glances at Zuria. "Where are our men?"

"They should be here by now, I'm not sure-" Zuria's eyes widen as she only now notices what is on the right hand of the skull man.

"That's one of the soldiers who accompanied me on the ship. Did he do the same to everyone else?" Hektor's eyes are switching between the severed head and the skull man.

"I don't know. Either way we're taking him down." Zuria immediately clenches her teeth after speaking.

"Careful. He's crazy quick with that thing. I couldn't see him half the time." Hlin then stood up with her massive hammer spewing glowing embers from its vents.

Lucia pulls out her two hook swords. The guns on its hilt are primed. Her intent with them is clear.

The skull man tilts his head as he continues pacing which reveals more of the swelling roots burrowed in his neck. Then he stops and the air stills. He faces the group of four, and rushes forward. Hlin fires another round of fireballs. The skull man slices away at each projectile as he charges.

Hektor and Lucia attempt to flank the man. Their guns are pointed straight at him. Zuria intends to take him at the front. Their blades almost clashing, but then the skull man vanishes and he reappears behind the three fighters.

"Ha! So, that's your trick!" Hlin exclaims as her hammer blocks a blow from his sword.

The vents on Hlin's hammer begins to roar. The embers turn into flames that propel the hammer towards the skull man. A crash and a bang follow every strike. The skull man is forced to retreat from the ignited flurry.

Then a counter: A slight parry here and there and Hlin is left wide open. The blade nearly strikes true on her neck, but Lucia intervenes by catching the blade on her hooks. Zuria aims a blow at his arm wielding the sword, but then he seems to vanish again, almost. The man is still visible but only barely. Briefly, Zuria sees the man in a translucent state. His sword harmlessly passes through Lucia's hook and he maneuvers to the latter's back at an incredible speed. He reforms into full visibility, but Lucia seems to notice him as well as she blocks the thrust from the skull man. She's forced flying back as Zuria retreats with her.

"So that's his semblance," said Lucia.

"Asshole can't touch anything while he's ghosting though. But Hlin was right. He's fast."

Hektor and Hlin keep the skull man at bay with a volley of fire and bullets.

Zuria scratches her head. "Tch. Any plans, doll?"

"He can't stay a ghost forever. We wear him out till he can't phase anymore then he's ours."

"I just hope we can keep this up longer than he can."

Hlin goes back to close quarters against the skull man. Her growing frustration with his elusiveness is evident. " ' .STAY. STILL?!" Strikes from her hammer dot the pauses between her words.

Lucia swords morph into SMGs and she fires a salvo at the skull man. He easily avoids it by phasing towards her. She leaps over him and intertwines her hooks. The daggers at her hilts carry the momentum of her spins and slice at where the the skull man reforms. He repels the attack, but now he's engaged directly with the two huntsmen.

Flurries flow into parries that are followed by ripostes; Lucia's movements flow like silk in the wind. The skull man is careful enough to never let his blade get caught between her hooks. At the same time, he eludes Hlin's hammer with ease. Zuria and Hektor attempt to intervene with bullets. Though their combined efforts do little to disrupt the rhythm of parries, phasing, and counters.

"He's stalling," Hektor says. But those words seem to have triggered a change in tempo, a shift in momentum. The skull man engages the four of them all at once. He shifts from one opponent to the other at a maddening pace. Their attempts to mount an offensive fail as the skull man simply phases through every counterattack.

"It's like he has eyes on the back of his head!" Hlin's impatience is nearing its boiling point.

Hektor uses his rifle to adeptly block each blow. A sharp kick at the skull man misses as the latter simply phases and moves to Hektor's flank. Another burst from the rifle and the skull man switches to another opponent.

"He can't seem to stay still while phasing. Plus, it seems he can only ghost for three se-" Hektor defends himself again from the skull man's assault, but he retreats and Zuria takes his place. "Three seconds max. And it takes him another two before he can ghost again."

"Looks like he's the one wearing us-Damn it!" Lucia grits her teeth in frustration as the skull man persists his assault.

"I think I can fix that. Hlin, bread trail please" Hektor's rifle whirs as parts of it rapidly fold and unfold. The shape it forms is an elegant curve with a small ring in the center. A string of blue, loose energy lies in between both ends of the curve. Hektor readies his bow. He takes aim and fires. The draw of the energy string lets loose a pulse that travels to the ring in the center. A small shock wave emanates from that ring and distorts the air around it. A blue bolt simultaneously appears and zooms to its target.

The skull man simply phases through the bolt, but then another one catches him as he re-materializes. He slashes at the bolt. The energy disperses, but the aftershocks remain. A raw surge spreads through his bones. He still stands, but his body trembles and stumbles as it attempts to remain upright. Hektor sustains fire, the skull man attempts to gain more ground and phases forward. Right before he re-materializes, a fiery light appears and marks his return. Another shot and the skull man is forced to dodge. The actions almost seem to repeat into a cycle. Hektor never loses his tempo as the rapid succession of shots pin the skull man to a corner of the hangar.

"That buys us some time. I think it's time for another plan, doll."

Lucia speaks, "Hlin, I doubt this man is acting alone. I need you to set bread trails around the area while we regroup with Qrane. Zuria, can you and Hektor-"

"Say no more. Hektor, let's move it!" As Hlin retreats, Zuria charges and aims several furious cuts at the skull man's vital points: the achilles tendon, his neck, the axilla. Hektor's sustained fire prevents a proper retaliation from their target.

Hlin's satisfaction with the scene clearly shows on her face as she smiles and waves. "Good luck, guys! We're off-" Hlin's words turn into an audible gasp. A scythe-like blade smashes into her side. She blocks with her hammer, but she's launched a distance away from Lucia. Still standing, she fires up her hammer and repels the succeeding strikes.

A long, prehensile tendril leads from the scythe to its wielder. A long convexed blade retracts right into where a left arm should be. Greeting their sight is a cracked beaked mask hashed together by thick, harsh stitches and rivets embedded irregularly on its face. In stark contrast, a large, prim overcoat drapes neatly and tapers along light, slim contours.

"You tried to sucker punch me! That wasn't very nice." Hlin brushes some dust off her shoulder. The annoyance she bears is subtle, but obvious.

"Guess his friend arrived. Bitch thinks she's a plague doctor!" Zuria shouts from across the room as she and Hektor continue their bout with the skull man.

Hlin maintains her smile, but the pleasantness has washed away. She sighs while smiling and tightens her grip on her hammer.

"Hlin, leave this to me. We need your bread trails around the perimeter." Lucia's eyes do not leave the enemy in front of her. "I'll take this one. Hlin? Hlin!"

Hlin shifts to her cannon and fires at the plague doctor. The fireballs are repelled as expected. Hlin fires again, but she aims high and in a sweeping arc. She rushes ahead of her fire with her blazing hammer. She leaves embers in the air with each strike. Her opponent responds in kind. The tendril-scythe whips and warps at impossible angles. Hlin feels the light, but numerous strikes connecting with her body. Bits of her aura are chipped away, but then she smiles.

Fireballs descend upon the plague doctor. She slices at the projectiles, but she leaves herself open to Hlin's hammer. The doctor takes several hits. The hammer shifts to a cannon. A fiery blast singes the doctor's clothes and forces her back.

"Boom, bitch. Looks like you aren't as good as your friend over there!" A devilish smile grows on Hlin's face. She bubbles with a haughty excitement. "Lucia, please be a dear and let me finish this."

Lucia's eyebrows furrow. "We do this together. Someone has to watch your back."

"Fine~by~me~"

Despite her loose, melodic tone, Hlin assails the plague doctor furiously. Lucia's stream of fire that prevents any counters against Lucia. A hammer smash to the knee and a thrust to the face stagger the doctor who is now one knee. Her one arm is on the ground as her only support.

"You're mine!" Hektor hears her hammer roaring in the distance as he maintains his fire on the skull man. He briefly glances at Hlin, but, just at that moment, a faint glow begins to intensify from her right. She's swept away by a shadowy flash.


	5. Chapter 5 - Almost There

Hektor reacts quickly and fires a volley at a raised platform, the source of the flash, but, from there, black crescent waves soar and match each of Hektor's bolts. The projectiles clash. The sounds of crackling bolts and humming waves flood and echo in the hangar.

The exchange ends and another freakish figure is in view: A man's face is wrapped in bandages with only his mouth exposed. Where his eyes should be, are instead replaced by purple runes that only resemble eyes. The man's clothes are old and tattered; they look to be from a time long past in Remnant. A large, black broadsword rests on his shoulder. It emits a disconcertingly dark hue.

Hektor only blinks and already the bandaged man slashes through the air. Another black wave careens towards him. He repels it with a bolt, but by the corner of his left eye is a sharp movement. The point of a black sword is inches away from his face, but the blade is luckily parried.

The back of Hektor's jacket has been ripped open. Behind his shoulder blades are two protruding metallic arms with two joints. At the end of each arm is a claw with four appendages. One arm has a blade extending from it.

Hektor surveys the scene only now notices the grim sight.

A trail of blood leads to Hlin sitting on the ground with her back to the wall. Her hammer is a far distance away. Wounds run along the right of her face and down across her torso all the way to her right leg. The bloods flows and flows as a pool of it widens around her.

Zuria is alone against the skull man. Her aura weakens with every hit she takes. The plague doctor now stands with Hlin behind her, her clothes seem to be the only thing harmed during her fight with Hlin. Lucia's attempts to reach her bleeding comrade are met with a fusillade of blades.

Hektor's attention on the bandaged man does not cease and he prepares for the next assault. Two slashes in the air result in two crescent waves hurling towards Hektor. One metallic arm seems to jerk behind him and a cloud of smoke suddenly surrounds Hektor. The two waves harmlessly pass through the cloud as Hektor seemingly vanishes.

Then a crack echoes in the room as a bolt strikes the beak-masked woman. She's propelled away from Hlin and Lucia, but not before the tendril-scythe rips through Lucia's armor and tears through her flesh.

Hektor can now be seen hanging from a taut rope that seems to emanate from a device on one of his arms. As Hektor descends from the rope to reach Lucia he fires several more bolts at the array of black waves careening towards him. He lands and immediately clicks a notch on the ring of his bow with his thumb. The color of the string turns red and appears firmer than the loose blue line. Hektor aims at the bandaged man. The draw and release of the bow does not result in a single, crackling bolt, but a spread of smaller, red bolts. Each shot hits the black waves, but the remaining scatter of bolts whiz past the collision. Several of them hit and stagger the bandaged man.

Hektor fires another salvo, but then the bandaged man seemingly disappears. Yet the Specialist tracks a faint silhouette to his left. The silhouette of someone phasing through reality. The skull man and the bandaged man re-materialize and a series of crescent waves are launched again towards Hektor.

He counters each blow with his red bolts, but, by the corner of his eye, the skull man re-appears and slashes and thrusts at his torso and limbs. His aura is now but a fourth of what it was. Hektor's driven into a corner, but the assault of the black waves does not cease. The metallic arms now attach to the wall behind Hektor and he scales upward along it to dodge the attack. However, he is struck by one black wave that depletes his aura and slices through his right thigh. Another black flash and his metallic arms are hit as well. He falls to the ground with a solid thud a few feet away from the wall.

As Hektor lays on the ground trying to recover, the skull man closes in with a swift kick to the abdomen. Hektor is launched towards the wall again. The damage starts to take its toll. He feels the pulsating pain from his now torn cybernetics. Blood pours from the open wound on his thigh. His vision fades.


	6. Chapter 6 - Not As They Were

The last sound Hektor hears is Lucia's crying. He feels the pulsating pain from the cumulative damage intensify, and he loses consciousness.

Tears fall across Hlin's face. Her eyes are blank. Her mouth is ajar. A large, black sword runs through her chest impaling her. She makes the faintest echoes of pain. She blinks as her gaze shifts to Lucia. Hlin's eyes move from blankness to pain and fear. Another echo, of a gasp this time, is heard as the black blade is pulled out from her. Then her breath stops. Time seems to stop then slow as Lucia watches a corpse fall to its side.

* * *

Zuria remains locked in combat with the plague doctor. Her attempts to prevent the scene in front of her all prove futile under the whirling scythe.

An opportunity presents itself the three attackers have their attention shifted away from Lucia. The adrenaline and desperation allows her to move fast enough to reach Hlin's hammer. She opens the vents and presses it to her wound. Blood burns solid. She uses her remaining strength to block several blows from the tendril scythe. The bandaged man fires a black wave. She attaches her hooks together and swings at the deadly crescent. Upon contact it shatters the hilt of one sword. The blade on it is left bent and twisted in on itself. The skull man slowly begins to approach the wounded and disarmed Lucia.

Then a blinding light drowns out her vision. A loud bang knocks her off balance. The image before the flash persists in her eyes. A deep fog then envelops her field of view even as the afterimage fades. The sounds of battle go on without her. She feels the grip of fading consciousness as the adrenaline wears off and the fatigue of battle sets.

The fog dies and she sees Zuria with an unconscious Hektor. With Hlin's hammer, she burns and closes the wound on his thigh.

"That was smart. Using Hlin's flames and all. I'm glad they came in when they did. Sorry that you got caught in their flash bangs. That was the only way to get us out of there. _Sigh_. We better get moving."

"What? I... Hlin?! We have to-Aaagh!"

"Careful! Careful! Your wound's cauterized, but it hasn't healed."

"Hlin. She's...She's..."

"Lucia, I'm sorry." Zuria's earnestness does little to ease the pain. Lucia feels a hollow pang through her chest. Zuria throws a glance at the ongoing battle next to them. Masses of ice are hurled and thunder echoes across the room as lightning bolts are cast from the four floating objects behind Qrane. Surprisingly, the stranger's longsword shatters the black, crescent waves upon impact.

"Not sure how long those two will last against those monsters. Introductions with the new guy there can wait after we get out of this."

The building shakes as explosions begin to erupt from around them. Fire and falling glass now line the ceiling and walls above. "Shit! He wasn't kidding! The place is about to blow! Can you walk?"

"Yes."

Zuria carries Hektor on her shoulder. Lucia follows as she puts the weight of each step on Hlin's hammer. They make as clean an exit as they can inside the smaller ship the three huntsmen had used... Meanwhile, their other comrades remain locked in combat.

Every attempt that Qrane and the stranger have to retreat and escape are hindered. As the battle rages on so do the explosions surrounding them. Black crescent waves and a rapid tendril-scythe cut their exits off. While the skull man and the bandaged man engage the two in close quarters.

The stalemate continues until a fiery column of steel crashes onto the site of the fight. A blazing inferno now separates Qrane and the stranger from the masked enemies. The hangar around them burns and crumbles. The blood of their comrades is spread across the floor. They soon see the bodies of the soldiers in the facility falling from the ramparts and the ceiling.

The howling storm was relentless even as the inferno spread across the facility. Smoke and embers were brushed away by the howling wind. The three who had escape circle the burning building hoping to sight their comrades, their hearts heavy with loss and anticipation. The identity of the silhouettes emerging from the inferno was unclear. Relief followed, however, at the sight of Qrane and the stranger.


	7. Chapter 7 - Interruptions

Minute whirring sounds and clicks and antiseptic smells touch Hektor's senses as he awakes in a room of steel and medical machinery. He noticed fluid being pumped through his hand. As he attempts to sit-up, the pain pulsing behind his eyes and around his temples reminds him of the prior events. He sees Zuria seated next to him. She looks at him with a slight smile.

"Hey there, Hot Shot." Zuria's words are wrapped in a rare softness. "'Bout time you woke up. How you feelin'?"

"Like shit. My left thigh hurts and I have a throbbing headache. And my back? What happened to my limbs? Oh." Hektor sees the arms once on his back hanging on a rack by a corner of the room. The severed halves are glaringly visible. He notices how he is dressed out of his combat gear and is stark naked under the sheets.

"WAAH! Were you the one who undressed me?! Did you see anything?!"

"I saw enough. Qrane saw more though since she was the one who had to treat your wounds."

"Oh. Ow!" Hektor feels a pain in his left thigh. He lifts the sheets slightly and sees gauze and bandages wrapped around the spot of the pain. "I lost, didn't I?"

"Kinda."

"Damn it!"

"Don't feel so bad. I was shocked to see someone match your bolts-not even the instructors and drill sergeants could properly block those. Skullface and the Mummy there were really something else."

"Cut it. Thanks for trying, but I don't need the pep talk. At least I know how to improve Myriad Hydra next time we face those bastards." Hektor looks away, but he feels a soft touch on his shoulder. Zuria's hand is on his shoulder and she throws him a kind smile that she follows with a flick to his forehead.

"We'll get them next time, Hot Shot."

"Yikes. Thanks again, Zuria. Now, where the hell are we?"

"Lucia and Qrane's main ship. We took their shuttle to here. Had to drag your unconscious ass all the way here."

"And undress me afterwards? Ugh. How embarrassing. How'd the others do though?"

"We kinda all lost, Hektor." Zuria crosses her arms as she states a matter of fact.

"How are we still alive then?"

"Not all of us are."

"What? Who?!"

"Hlin. She's..." Zuria's eyes narrow as she looks away.

"Oh. That's...I see." Hektor pauses not knowing the best things to say during events of loss. "How are the they taking it?"

A crash and a bang as well as muffled shouting voices answer his question. Chairs and an assortment of whatever items are closest to Lucia fly across the ship's mess hall. Lucia stands ignoring the pain of her wound as it begins to bleed through her bandages. She cries in an ambiguous pain. Qrane appears in the corridor and the sight of her is calming but burdening.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Qrane. I let it happen again." Lucia falls to her knees as she continues sobbing. Qrane closes the distance and lowers herself. She catches a tear as Lucia looks up.

"You know that's not true."

"But-"

Lips touch a forehead in several spots and a hand runs along the back of Lucia's head. Qrane leans back as Lucia leans in. The latter's weights rests on her lover's chest. The hands are spared no affection as Qrane runs her lips from the point of the fingers to the shoulder. She reaches the neck and she kisses the area lightly and frequently. Lucia feels the tender warmth of lips wrap around all over her neck. Now she stops as the softness stays in the moment. Together they feel the warmth of intimate safety that begins to pervade the space around them.

"We weren't even able to bury her." Those words stop Qrane in her tracks.

"I know, but that's not your fault."

"I... I just want her back."

Qrane lips silence Lucia. "We're here at least. Together."

"We're all that's left."

"Ehem. Ehem." Lucia and Qrane are now looking at Hektor. He briefly tucks his lips in while his gut tightens. "Uh...That guy named Erdin is calling everyone to the meeting room." Hektor pauses although Lucia and Qrane still say nothing. He wishes he hadn't paused. "Guess I'll see you guys there...? Bye."

Qrane sighs and speaks, "I forgot we had visitors."


End file.
